


we will find a way through the dark

by punkrockbadger



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, First War with Voldemort, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-25
Updated: 2015-07-25
Packaged: 2018-04-11 02:11:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4417013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punkrockbadger/pseuds/punkrockbadger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Smooth.” She says, raising an eyebrow, and James ducks his head, smiling brightly. “From the brilliant mind that thought ‘alright Evans’ was a pickup line, we get an incredible sequel. ‘Oh, uh, me too.’”</p><p>“You’re horrible. I take it back.” James grumbles, sounding more like a petulant toddler than an adult. That’s exactly what he is, Lily realizes. A six foot tall toddler. Her six foot tall toddler. And she’s in love with him. Hopefully this ends well. “I’m never ever, ever going to be in love with you again.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	we will find a way through the dark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [darlingjustdont](https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingjustdont/gifts).



> Hey Sasha? This one's for you. :)

Lily stands on the doorstep, wordless, drenched to the bone and shivering, and James knows what to do.

It is as if their lives have been building up to this effortless push and pull, like every moment has taught them the ins and outs of each other well enough to make everything easy. Sometimes, you’re lucky enough to fall in love with a friend and make it work, and James and Lily Potter are definitely not short on luck.

“Hey there.” James says, cheerful. He’s gotten a couple hours off, and spent it well—he’d let Remus at his head with some scissors in exchange for a Galleon or two, and it looks surprisingly good, given the fact that the last time Remus cut his hair, James ended up with the buzzcut from hell. Lily would have smiled, were this a normal day, and his face falls slightly when she doesn’t, instead standing stock still on the doormat like she’s afraid to come closer. He reaches out to tug her in by the arm, and she flinches when his fingers close around the bulky jacket she’s wearing, so he pulls his hand back, tapping his fingers against his thighs.

“It’s your place too, love.” He says, voice low like it’s some sort of secret they’re sharing. He is used to her silences, has been for awhile, and knows when she needs them filled by his voice. “I’ll wait here as long as you need.”

Those are the words she needs, a solid promise to grasp onto, and she crosses the threshold into the little world they’ve built as he shuts the door behind her. She is dripping all sorts of things all over the floor, and James’ fervent “I’ll clean it up, don’t you worry” brings a slight smile to her face. He chatters on cheerfully, providing a delightful buzz of background noise, and it’s not until he holds out a towel that she realizes he’s been talking to her.

Of course he’s been talking to her, she reasons, because the cat is the only other one here, and both James and the cat would rather die than acknowledge each other. He chuckles, shaking his head, and drapes the towel about her shoulders like a cape. “You should probably change, really. Catching colds is too easy in this weather. I’ll boil some water so you don’t drink it cold, because that can make things worse. No cold water for at least two days, just in case. Got to stay in tip top shape if we want to show those losers who’s boss, right?”

Lily nods, letting him walk ahead of her to the bedroom as if he’s showing the house to someone entirely new, and he stands by the door, motioning for her to go on ahead.

“I’ll be right out here if you need me.” He says, frowning slightly. Her own thoughts are too fuzzy for her to be able to comprehend his, something that usually comes so quickly, and she only feels more defeated for it. Her bones feel heavy, and she’s sorry, so sorry, but she doesn’t know how to get the words out. “I’ll get something to eat ready and you get yourself out of that tiny lake you’re in, alright?”

Lily, on impulse, shuffles forward and buries her face in James’ chest as an apology, because she has no idea why she gets like this. Sometimes the words just disappear and she’s left with without words, but full of colors and shapes and the occasional disjointed thought, and the thought of speaking is just too much to handle. His arms wrap around her almost instantly, and the tension leaves his frame so quickly that she wonders if he has been storing this hug up since the moment he opened the door.

“There you are.” He says, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before letting go. He’s now just as wet as she is, but he shrugs when she looks at him inquisitively. “I’ll dry off quick, no problem. See you in a few.” He runs down the hallway to the kitchen at breakneck speed, and she hears the stove come to life a few seconds later. He’ll be distracted for awhile.

By the time she comes back, clad in some sweatpants she’s had for too long and one of his shirts, he’s got food on the tiny table she’s had to repair at least three times this month.

“Made white people food.” He says, and plops down in his chair gracelessly. He looks so glad to see her there, something that makes little sense to her at the moment. She sits down, testing the chair to make sure the legs won’t collapse again. It had been funny when it was Remus last week, but she doesn’t think she can take falling onto the floor right now. “Figured that’d be nice and all. You’ve had a rough day, and I want to make it better as much as I can, and familiar things usually help, so I figured I might—”

“I love you.” Lily blurts out, painfully aware that this is the first time either of them have said it aloud. James has done everything but say the words, and she’s spent too much time wondering if he’s waiting for her to do it first. No, Lily Evans has bigger things to spend her time on, and if one of them is going to be brave enough to do it first, it’s her. “I really, really love you.”

“Oh, uh, me too.” James says, blinking in surprise. It takes her a second to realize these are the first words she’s said, since she came home. Oh. Well, that’s one way to make an entrance. “Love you too, I mean. I love you. Yeah. Definitely.”

“Smooth.” She says, raising an eyebrow, and James ducks his head, smiling brightly. “From the brilliant mind that thought ‘alright Evans’ was a pickup line, we get an incredible sequel. ‘Oh, uh, me too.’”

“You’re horrible. I take it back.” James grumbles, sounding more like a petulant toddler than an adult. That’s exactly what he is, Lily realizes. A six foot tall toddler. Her six foot tall toddler. And she’s in love with him. Hopefully this ends well. “I’m never ever, ever going to be in love with you again.”

“Fine by me.” She says, shrugging. “There are plenty of other fish in the sea.”

“I’m not a fish.” He says, looking quite puzzled, before she realizes he must not have heard it said that way before. “And this isn’t a sea.”

“You’re right.” She says, laughing because he brightens up so quickly when she concedes. “You’re not a fish.”

“I’d be something majestic, if I was an animal.” He says, nodding like he knows for sure. This only prompts a fresh round of laughter out of Lily, even as she marvels at how easily he does this to her. “Like a stag or something. Great big antlers and all.” He puts his hands up next to his head, resting his palms over his ears. “Like this, except bigger and scarier.”

“And what would I be?” She asks, as she finally starts picking at the food he’d put down in front of her nearly fifteen minutes ago. He’d charmed the plates to stay warm, so it’s thankfully not any worse for the wait. “If I was an animal?”

He thinks for a minute, brows furrowing as he stabs at the pasta on his plate with a fork, and then looks back up at her. “A doe. So we’d be matching. And also you’re fast.”

“I am fast.” She says, and he reaches over to ruffle her hair. “Thanks. For earlier.”

“Don’t mention it.” He says, smiling. “You’d do the same for me.”

“Yeah.” She says, smiling back. “I would.”


End file.
